In order to minimize the fuel consumption and to improve the performance of motor vehicles, particularly passengeer cars, the vehicle is often designed to give such a low air resistance as possible. It is thereby desired, that the surface of the vehicle projecting perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the vehicle is minimized. For traffic safety reasons external rear view mirrors form part of the compulsory equipment of passenger cars. A rear view mirror projects from the car body and thereby increases said surface and, therefore, the air resistance. The mirror must have a considerable horizontal extension for giving a sufficient area of visibility and it furthermore often must be located outside the car body side for allowing a free view straight rearwards, as the car body side is often curved and the mirror has to be located forward of the most broad portion of the car body.
Beside causing increased air resistance the projecting mirrors also form a maneuver obstacle, and they are also located thus that they are easily subjected to damages. They also may be dangerous for unprotected road users at a collision.